1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a recording medium drive or data storage apparatus, such as a hard disk drive (HDD) utilizing a magnetic disk as a recording medium.
2. Description of the Prior Art
For example, a hard disk drive (HDD) allows a head actuator to get positioned at a predetermined inoperative position when a magnetic recording disk stands still. When the head actuator is positioned at the inoperative position, the actuator arm of the head actuator, at least partly, is allowed to get opposed to the surface of the magnetic recording disk. If an impact is applied to the hard disk drive from the outside in this condition, the actuator arm is caused to deform. The actuator arm may collide against the magnetic recording disk based on such deformation. The collision may lead to scratches over the surface of the magnetic recording disk. The scratches may generate contaminations scattered over the surface of the magnetic recording disk. The contaminations may disrupt read/write operations of magnetic information.
A displacement suppression member is proposed to suppress the deformation of the actuator arm as disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Publication Nos. 11-144411 and 11-345471. The displacement suppression member is designed to face the actuator arm with a planar surface. The planar surface of the displacement suppression member is allowed to receive the actuator arm with a planar surface. The planar surface of the displacement suppression member is allowed to receive the actuator arm, so that the deformation of the actuator can be suppressed to the utmost. In this manner, any collision is avoided between the actuator arm and the magnetic recording disk.
A predetermined amount of space should be set between the displacement suppression member and the actuator arm. If the space is smaller or narrower, the displacement suppression member tends to collide against the actuator arm even when the actuator arm normally swings to position a read/write head. It is not preferable. On the other hand, if the space is larger or wider, the deformation of the actuator arm cannot be suppressed enough to avoid a collision between the actuator arm and the magnetic recording disk. It is difficult to assemble the displacement suppression member into the hard disk drive, establishing a predetermined amount of space between the actuator arm and the overall planar surface of the displacement suppression member. In particular, in the case where a pair of actuator arms are set for the front and back surfaces of a single magnetic recording disk, the displacement suppression member should be located between the actuator arms. A still higher accuracy is required to position or assemble the displacement suppression member within the hard disk drive.